Taxi Light as a Landing Light?

[Hubbs]

As we all know a landing light is required by Part 91 for night flights carrying passengers for hire.

On some ACs, such as Pipers there is just one light, and the switch oftentimes has landing/taxi written on. Whilst other ACs, such as Cessnas, there are two lights with two switches. If the light controlled by the switch labeled 'Landing' is inop but the one labeled 'Taxi' works are you legal to fly?

Thanks

 

[Jason]

No. If the landing light is inop then it's inop. On airplanes with two lights, very often the landing light is brighter than the taxi light....... that would be a hard sell to an FAA inspector.

 

[Brian Z]

Not only are they brighter, but also they shine at different angles

 

[SpiceWeasel]

Now the question is.... when do you use your landing light? When I was at ERAU (before the nice HID ones), we were told to "only" use the taxi light during daylight ops during TO or LDG.

 

[Nihon_Ni]

Now the question is.... when do you use your landing light? When I was at ERAU (before the nice HID ones), we were told to "only" use the taxi light during daylight ops during TO or LDG.

Personally, I turn it on when I'm ready to taxi (or when I enter the runway if it's night) and I leave it on until I land. Sure it uses up the life of the bulb, but if it buys me the smallest advantage in visibility then it's money well spent. That tiny advantage might be all the difference I need.

 

[shdw]

Now the question is.... when do you use your landing light? When I was at ERAU (before the nice HID ones), we were told to "only" use the taxi light during daylight ops during TO or LDG.

:yeahthat: I didn't even use it at night for taxing unless it was an uncontrolled or poorly lit field. We were often at busier fields and I was told to leave it off as a courtesy to other pilots. Somehow I doubt my (what seems like) 50 watt night light (taxi light...) is going to burn anyones eyes out, but I could see fine without the light so it there was no sense in arguing.

As for the lights, the taxi light you can see as soon as you turn it on is more for lighting up the taxiway. When you turn on the landing light you notice it barely touches the taxiway.

I am only speculating but I think the taxi light is a wide beam short range light that wouldn't be seen at nearly the distance that a landing light can be seen. The taxi light also being angled down would reduce the intensity of that light from a distant viewer where as the landing light basically points into other pilots eyes so they can see you.

That was my understanding of the difference between the 2, any aircraft light technicians here that can verify if what I learned was right?

 

[OldTownPilot]

I am only speculating but I think the taxi light is a wide beam short range light that wouldn't be seen at nearly the distance that a landing light can be seen. The taxi light also being angled down would reduce the intensity of that light from a distant viewer where as the landing light basically points into other pilots eyes so they can see you.

That was my understanding of the difference between the 2, any aircraft light technicians here that can verify if what I learned was right?

Thats pretty much it. Think of the taxi light as the fog lamps (angled down, short wide beam) and the landing light as your high beams (angled straight, long narrow beam). The taxi light in a "two light cessna" really is not that much of an inconvenience to other pilots. I don't have the actual bulb specs, but it's ridiculously low. The Taxi/landing lights on a "one light airplane" on the other hand are rather annoying to other pilots (kinda like high beams on a car).

 

[shdw]

Thats pretty much it. Think of the taxi light as the fog lamps (angled down, short wide beam) and the landing light as your high beams (angled straight, long narrow beam). The taxi light in a "two light cessna" really is not that much of an inconvenience to other pilots. I don't have the actual bulb specs, but it's ridiculously low. The Taxi/landing lights on a "one light airplane" on the other hand are rather annoying to other pilots (kinda like high beams on a car).

TY

 

[gomntwins]

Now the question is.... when do you use your landing light? When I was at ERAU (before the nice HID ones), we were told to "only" use the taxi light during daylight ops during TO or LDG.

I was taught that too. Now, however, I use my taxi light as much as possible at night (I do turn it off around other airplanes) and my logic is attempting to see wildlife. I've hit jackrabbits on taxi (thankfully they have never done any damange) and like to give myself the best chance at night of seeing those stupid rabbits before one jumps into my prop, I take a propstrike without knowing it, and fly away with potential damage. In my years of flying I've seen deer, a coyote, somebody's runaway black lab, numerous rabbits (big and small), and an assortment of other wildlife on or near taxiways.

 

[Bernoulli Fan]

What about counting strobe lights as anticollision lights to satisfy 91.205?

 

[Jason]

That's how we did it in the Starship... the strobes had to be on at night because they were the anti-collision lights - there was a ground position and flight position. In that case though we didn't have an anti-collision light - I'm assuming that your asking about if the anti-collision light was inop..... my answer would be no, you can't. Pilots don't get to subjectively choose substitutes for inop equipment.... if it's broke, then it's broke. If that equipment is requried for a particular operation, then that operation is no longer legal until you get the equipment fixed.

 

[Bernoulli Fan]

That's how we did it in the Starship... the strobes had to be on at night because they were the anti-collision lights - there was a ground position and flight position. In that case though we didn't have an anti-collision light - I'm assuming that your asking about if the anti-collision light was inop..... my answer would be no, you can't. Pilots don't get to subjectively choose substitutes for inop equipment.... if it's broke, then it's broke. If that equipment is requried for a particular operation, then that operation is no longer legal until you get the equipment fixed.

I was thinking the beacon was inop, yes. There's no switch in the cockpit that's labeled "anti-collision light."

 

[shdw]

I was thinking the beacon was inop, yes. There's no switch in the cockpit that's labeled "anti-collision light."

If I am reading what you 2 are saying properly, if the beacon is INOP and you have strobe lights you that meet the requirements shown later then you can substitute those.

(3) An approved aviation red or aviation white anticollision light system on all U.S.-registered civil aircraft. Anticollision light systems initially installed after August 11, 1971, on aircraft for which a type certificate was issued or applied for before August 11, 1971, must at least meet the
anticollision light standards of part 23, 25, 27, or 29 of this chapter, as applicable, that were in effect on August 10, 1971, except that the color may be either aviation red or aviation white. In the event of failure of any light of the anticollision light system, operations with the aircraft may be
continued to a stop where repairs or replacement can be made.

Here is the part that explains what the system must include. Basically, chances are if you have strobes they meet the requirements of 23.401. That being the case you just use those if your red light is out. It is also important to note the end of the 91.205 says you can take it to where you need to for a repair.

Edit: Meant to past FAR Part 23 not 27.

Part 23 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES
Subpart F--Equipment
Lights

Sec. 23.1401

Anticollision light system.

[(a) General. The airplane must have an anticollision light system that--]
(1) Consists of one or more approved anticollision lights located so that their light will not impair the flight crewmembers' vision or detract from the conspicuity of the position lights; and
(2) Meets the requirements of paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section.
(b) Field of coverage. The system must consist of enough lights to illuminate the vital areas around the airplane, considering the physical configuration and flight characteristics of the airplane. The field of coverage must extend in each direction within at least 75° above and 75° below the horizontal plane of the airplane, except that there may be solid angles of obstructed visibility totaling not more than 0.5 steradians.
(c) Flashing characteristics. The arrangement of the system, that is, the number of light sources, beam width, speed of rotation, and other characteristics, must give an effective flash frequency of not less than 40, nor more than 100, cycles per minute. The effective flash frequency is the frequency at which the airplane's complete anticollision light system is observed from a distance, and applies to each sector of light including any overlaps that exist when the system consists of more than one light source. In overlaps, flash frequencies may exceed 100, but not 180, cycles per minute.
(d) Color. Each anticollision light must be either aviation red or aviation white and must meet the applicable requirements of Sec. 23.1397.
(e) Light intensity. The minimum light intensities in any vertical plane, measured with the red filter (if used) and expressed in terms of "effective" intensities, must meet the requirements of paragraph (f) of this section. The following relation must be assumed:
Ie=;
where:
Ie = effective intensity (candles).
I(t) = instantaneous intensity as a function of time.
t2-t1 = flash time interval (seconds).

Normally, the maximum value of effective intensity is obtained when t2 and t1 are chosen so that the effective intensity is equal to the instantaneous intensity at t2 and t1.
(f) Minimum effective intensities for anticollision lights. Each anticollision light effective intensity must equal or exceed the applicable values in the following table.

Angle above or below the horizontal plane:
Effective intensity
(candles)
0° to 5°-----------------------------------------------------
400
5° to 10°---------------------------------------------------
240
10° to 20°-------------------------------------------------
80
20° to 30°-------------------------------------------------
40
30° to 75°-------------------------------------------------
20


Amdt. 23-49, Eff. 03/11/96